


Until The Thrill Is Gone

by KeepOnAHappyFace



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Batman - Fandom, Batman: The Dark Knight (2008)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Knife Play, NSFW, Oral Sex, Romance, Rough Sex, Sexual Content, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Smut, relationship, situationship - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-17 17:09:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 16,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28977939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KeepOnAHappyFace/pseuds/KeepOnAHappyFace
Summary: In a corrupted and decaying city, one has to make a living.For some time now, you’ve been doing all kinds of sketchy jobs. It will not take long until you cross paths with the infamous Joker, who will eventually pique your interest. Navigating between his unpredictable moves and your own feelings, you might end up finding this city thrilling after all.
Relationships: Joker (DCU)/Reader, Joker (DCU)/You, Joker/You
Comments: 32
Kudos: 30





	1. The Professional

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone !
> 
> How happy I am to write again. It's been a year I believe since my last fanfic (A New Smile), and I came back to tons of wonderful messages and comments. Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you will appreciate this new story, as much as I enjoyed working on it !
> 
> Don't forget that you can follow me on Tumblr (keep-on-a-happy-face) or on Twitter (HappyFaceWrites) :)

Gotham City is one of those cities that look good on postcards, however the reality is something else entirely. 

The vast and green parklands overlooking the old and magnificent city eventually turn into the perfect place of exchange for sketchy individuals as soon as the night comes. The police sirens replace the laughs of the children when the darker times arrive. 

It is not for lack of trying to make this city welcoming and safe. There is simply something about that city that is like mold. No matter how many times you attempt to get rid of it, it seems to only come back, spreading like a disease. **  
**

You understood the fatality of this city at an early age. At first, you actively participated and contributed to its development. You spent entire weekends and evenings volunteering at local groups, planting trees and flowers, raising funds for some cause or another… Over the past few years, it became apparent to you that people did not really care about Gotham City, not as much as you did anyway. The important littering and damaged properties, the lack of interest or funds from the Mayor, and the criminality rates constantly rising made you feel like you were losing your time, energy, and more importantly money.

Your finances were absolutely in the red, and your growling stomach was a sort of waking call. The bitter taste left in your mouth convinced you to follow a much different path. At the beginning, it started almost innocently. 

A couple of years ago, while you were taking a break from leaving your job application at different shops of the mall, you met a man, obviously running away from something. After a brief eye contact, he hid in the bathroom, right behind you. Soon after, a police officer followed, out of breath. He looked around, scanned the place, and approached you. Promptly, he asked you if you had perhaps seen the thief, and gave you a brief description of the individual. You marked a pause, not exactly sure what to answer at the time.

The brave part of you got replaced by the resentment you had for the Gotham City police department that seemed to constantly give up on you. You denied ever seeing the man he was talking about. The police officer nodded, and left the floor. You waited until you could not see him anymore to head to the men’s restroom, where the thief was still hiding, panting, and holding a bag close to his body. You exchanged looks, before he angrily asked you what the hell you were looking at.

– There was a police officer looking for you » you replied.

– Did you tell him anything ? » he asked angrily.

– No, you nodded. Told him I didn’t see anyone. »

– For real ? » the man chuckled softly, then sighed in relief once you affirmatively shook your head.

– Thanks. I truly owe you one here, he pursued. Here, take this. »

The man handed you a 100 dollars bill. You paused a moment, wondering if it was right to take this money. _Would that make me an accomplice ?_ You wondered. After a few seconds deliberating whether or not it was a good idea, you decided it was, and took the bill that you quickly put in your pocket. Without a word, the man left the bathroom, and you never met him again.

This brief encounter awoke something in you. It was not really the thrill of the crime that drove you, but how easy it was to make a living out of a system that seemingly never did you any justice. Since that day, you accepted all kinds of jobs, more or less sketchy, as long as they paid you well. You were as dedicated at your new « job » as you were volunteering for the city, and so you were making a decent amount of money. To be perfectly honest, you were good at what you did.

Some of your new tasks consisted of accompanying people and ensuring their safety during their meeting, delivering packages (of what, you were not absolutely certain aside from the fact that it was most probably illegal), robbing small shops, and other felonies of the sort. You were clean, meticulous, and trustworthy. The beginning of your new career was not easy; many people had issues dealing with a woman. But soon enough, the word spread around, and you became a coveted gem in the business. 

There were no hard feelings when you worked. Only a contract, with terms and conditions, that both parties accepted. At times, you struggled recognizing the person you once were; in the mirror, there was only that cold, emotionless, perfectionist woman. This is what Gotham does to people, you supposed. After caring for a dying cause, it challenged your expectations in life. It was not out of malice either, it began from a place of need, and once it appeared clear how good you were at it, you stayed on that road.

Which brings us to today. In the feverish afternoon of August, you were heading to the Iceberg Lounge, a stylish and fancy bar where commoners like you usually went unnoticed. Many different kinds of souls populated the Iceberg Lounge, but none of them were truly of the good kind. Outrageously rich investors who most certainly knew where and how to use their money, mercenaries off duty waiting for their next order, some members of local mobs seemingly taking a break, felons of all sorts spying on each other, and even the occasional con artists looking for someone gullible enough to give them money in exchange of some sort of miraculous promises and arrangements composed the main part of the Iceberg Lounge, amongst other rich and spoiled teens, and more common people who had no clue about the danger present at every corner of the bar.

You recognized familiar faces, both people you worked with and against. There was some sort of unspoken truce when entering the Iceberg Lounge. After all, the place itself was owned by one of the most prolific and powerful criminals of Gotham City. One man who disliked nothing more than fights and arguments at his own home. And so, people treated that place with the respect it was due; both for the place, and the owner, who it would be unwise to mess with.

Sitting at your usual booth, you ordered your usual drink. You took a few sips of it, observing the crowd. It did not take long for a regular partner to join you with his beer. He sat in front of you and greeted you with a head shake. He was wearing a black bomber jacket decorated with a single patch on his left side; a vintage rose with a petal missing. You always wanted to ask the meaning it had.

– How are things ? » he asked.

– Same old. Got something for me ? » you answered calmly, almost uninterested. The man smiled. He put his two arms on the table, leaned towards you. He whispered:

– Heard something about a robbery. Something big. I would go, but my hands are tied with something else. Asked me if I knew someone to do the job, would get a commission if it works out. It’s a new boss, never heard of him –didn’t give his name either. » You raised an eyebrow. It sounded sketchy, but unusual.

– What would I have to do ? »

– Don’t know the details. You should see directly with them. »

– How much does it pay ? »

– Heard 10 thousands, could be more. Are you interested ? » You sat back in your seat, contemplating the offer. Participating in a bank robbery was not the easiest task, but you have been there before. Either way, the offer was appealing.

– Where ? » you finally asked. The man grinned, and wrote an address on a crumpled piece of paper.

– They’re meeting at the docks tonight. If you go, tell them I sent you » he concluded, finishing his beer. He took his leather wallet out of his pocket, left a tip on the table, and stood up, shaking his head goodbye. You waved at him slightly as he left the Iceberg Lounge.


	2. You’ve got nerve

You gave the offer a thought, and decided to test the waters and see for yourself if this was even worth it. 

You prepared your working uniform: black pants, black shirt, black gloves, black backpack. You had to be forgettable, be _nobody_. You checked your phone. It was 9:25 PM. You locked the door of your apartment, and took the bus to the docks.

At the destination, you took some time to scan the perimeter, checking if anyone was here or saw you. Once you determined the area was safe enough, you looked around for your guys. It didn’t take too long, there was a cabin with lights on. You heard whispers, perhaps from multiple men. The whole picture looked way too sketchy to your taste. Perhaps they were amateurs ? You sighed, then knocked. The whispering stopped for a second, then you heard footsteps. A muscular man opened the door, and took a good look at you.

– What do you want, mouse ? » he practically barked. If you were not in the business for as long as you were, you would feel frightened. But you met people like him before, you knew this bluff. You remained calm and composed.

– Came for the job. » From where you were, you couldn’t see the inside of the cabin. You could not hear anyone else. 

– I think you’re lost » he scuffed.

– Manny sent me » you simply answered. He raised an eyebrow, his eyes shined, for a brief second he smirked. He knew Manny.

– Manny sent you ? » You hated that tone, yet heard it more often than you’d care to admit. The more you looked at the man, the less frightening he seemed. His forehead was sweaty, you could tell by the movement of his chest how fast his heart was beating, his jaw was clenched. He was nervous. An amateur, you thought. You sighed, almost disappointed. Somehow, the man could feel that you were ready to leave, and finally let you in the cabin. 

There were 2 other men. One of them was shaking, the other one was white as a sheet. They fit the description of your usual inexperienced felon. There were guns on the table, a map of Gotham City, a rough sketch of the inside of Gotham City’s bank, cigarettes, and alcohol. They seemed unprepared. The man who answered the door, probably their leader, pointed to an empty chair on which you sat.

– What do you know about this job ? » he promptly asked.

– A robbery, for 10 thousands. That’s about it. » The men looked at each other.

– And Manny recommended––

– He recommended me, because I’m good at what I do » you cut him, slightly exasperated. 

– I trust Manny. Got on a few rides with him. The man’s solid » he added, talking to the rest of them. They nodded in agreement.

– Alright, the plan is the bank of Gotham City. We’re working for another guy, only heard it on the phone. We’ve got all the details figured out. We will meet on Wednesday, a van will get us there. Two other guys will join us. »

– You never even met the boss ? » you asked.

– It’s a clean operation. Once we’re done, we get our share and we will never meet again. Not the first time we’re working for an anonymous boss. Better this way, sometimes. » You could not tell for the others, but the leader seemed to be more knowledgeable about the business. You looked at the plans and multiple notes. It sounded like a decent plan. It _could_ work, after all.

– So, what do you say ? Are you in ? » One of the guys asked. You shook your head.

– Yeah, count me in. » The leader grinned in approval. Before you left, he went to a counter and handed you a plastic mask.

– Here, you’ll be wearing this. » You looked at it and raised an eyebrow.

– A clown mask, really ? »

*

A disaster could not even begin to describe what just happened. It did not start too badly you thought. 

At 3 PM, you waited for the van to pick you up at the agreed location. Before entering the van, you reluctantly wore the clown mask, only to meet with 5 other men, also masked. Each one of them was wearing a different mask, there was something comedic about the situation. _I can already hear the police naming us the Clown Crew or something_ , you thought in your head. You nervously chuckled at the situation.

– What are you laughing at ? » one of them barked. « Are you even focusing right now ? » You recognized the voice of one of the men from the other night. 

– I’m good, don’t worry about me » you answered calmly. You heard someone chuckling slightly, you were not even sure anyone else heard it.

The rest of the operation was a complete fiasco. You were supposed to rob Gotham City’s bank, threaten people who wanted to leave, not harm anyone. Just take the cash, and leave the place. But the police arrived much faster than expected. One guy got scared and ran away as fast as he entered the building. Two of them got shot, moments later officers were already pinning them down. You filled your bag with as much money as you could and escaped. You have no idea where the others went.

Once outside, you promptly threw away your mask, exchanged your bag for another hidden in the first one, and removed your black shirt revealing a burgundy one instead. You took a moment to calm down. Navigating through the streets of Gotham, you could not help but mumble at the lack of preparation of your partners.

You reached a smaller alley, knowing the police would not come for you there. _Now, what ?_ You thought. You did not know where you had to take the money to, or if any of the guys made it. You walked in circles for a while, until you heard footsteps and someone chuckling. It was one of the masked men, walking towards you. You looked at time and sighed, almost in some sort of relief. The man walked around you, keeping a reasonable distance between the two of you.

– I have to admit, he chuckled some more, I didn’t think you would make it ! »

– Most people don’t » you answered defiantly. The man got closer to you and waved his finger at you.

– You’ve got nerve. I like that. » He then removed his mask, which immediately froze you to the bone.

He appeared in front of you, his face mostly covered in greasy white paint, his eyes shining through two big black spots, and his cheeks mutilated from one side to the other, marking a permanent smile on his face that he decorated in red. His chaotic hair, painted in green, reminded you of the one on your own mask that you threw away earlier. It took you a few seconds to recover from the shock, and suddenly you regained your stoic posture. The man of course noticed your behavior and put a hand on his chest.

– I’m the one who called our friend, the one that got shot. My plan. My bad ! » his laugh was as scary as his appearance. You did not know what to tell him, instead you handed him your bag.

– Then, I believe this is yours » you said in a shaking voice giving away your nervousness. The clown paused for a moment, licked his lips and reached for your bag. He opened it, got a pack of bills out of it and handed it to you. Before you could grab it, he retrieved his arm.

– What’s your name ? » he asked.

– None of your business »

– Works for me, darling » he cooed. He stretched his arm again, and you brutally took the money out of his hand and put it in your pocket.

– I’m not your darling. »

Without exchanging looks or even counting the money he gave you, you walked away. The guy was giving you the creeps. You could merely hear him chuckling in the distance now.


	3. A little birdy

When you came back home, you removed your shoes that fell heavily on the floor, while you threw your jacket on the couch. You then threw your gloves on the coffee table and sat on the couch. You sighed loudly, looking at the ceiling. The fiasco at the bank lasted for merely 15 minutes, yet it felt like hours separated you from the moment you exited the bank and the moment you came home. And that clown guy… Was he really the man behind it ?

You rubbed your eyes. You did not want to think of any of this right now. You reached into your pocket, took out the money, and looked at the bills stacked together. It looked unusually thick. One thousand, … 8 thousands, 9 thousands… _This can’t be right_ , you thought to yourself as you kept slipping the bills between your fingers. A slight feeling of discomfort, almost some sort of panic, invaded you as you kept counting. There was almost 50 thousands dollars in your hand. 

« Holy fuck ! » you shouted. You never earned that much on any of your jobs before. Yet, the excitement faded gradually, and fear swallowed you whole. What if the guy made a mistake and wanted his money back ? _This can’t be right. This can’t be right._ You did not play that kind of game. You signed up for 10 thousands dollars, you wanted 10 thousands dollars. Anything extra sounded like a threat to you. An unspoken contract. You did not want to owe anyone anything else than what was told.

You walked to your bedroom. Behind the desk, you removed a small piece of the floorboard covering a hole in the wall. You dragged a box from inside the wall, it contained all the money you made from your _side jobs_ . You were saving from quite some time now, perhaps to get a nice house in another city. Or travel the world and never come back. You were not sure why you were saving so much, but you felt safe having that money. _Just in case_ , you thought. You put the 10 thousand dollars inside of the box, folded the rest and put it on your coffee table, determined to get it back to the clown guy, one way or another.

After a quick meal and an equally fast shower, you dressed into something more casual. You looked at your reflection and could only see a panicked, destabilized woman. _Not good, can’t let people see me like this_ , you thought. Presenting well was always something very important to you. This job was too dangerous to let anyone see your vulnerability. You paused, thinking of your next move. You buried your face into your hands for a few minutes.

Finally, you decided to put on a better dress, even wear a bit of makeup. _Feel good about yourself, feel powerful_ , you thought while applying mascara. Putting on makeup was a true ritual of war for you. It was not something you usually do –and frankly, you were not very good at it either. But there was something about polishing your image that made you feel more confident. Your last finishing touch was the red lipstick, the choice was easy; you only had one. Once you were all done, you took one of your coats off its hook, grabbed a purse, buried the excess money inside of it, and left your place.

The ritual worked wonders; in no time, you felt unbothered and strong again. Walking at a fast pace, you headed to the Iceberg Lounge. You sat at your usual booth, took off your coat, the waiter brought you the usual drink, and you waited. You checked the time on your phone once, but immediately forgot what time it was. You were a nervous mess.

Moments later, a familiar silhouette sat in front of you. Manny seemed both panicked and angry. His dark eyebrows frowning, made him look very threatening if you did not know him better. You smiled.

– Hey Manny » you said.

– What the hell happened ? » he barked. You raised your glass, ready to take a sip of it, in an attempt to buy yourself some time, but Manny grabbed it quickly and put it back on the table. You bit your lips.

– What do you mean by that ? »

– Today ! I got a call from my guy, two down, one ran away God knows where, he miraculously made it somehow… I thought you got caught, or worse ?! » 

– The guy you had on the phone… does he know anything about who we were working for ? » you asked, almost dodging the unasked questions. Manny shook his head.

– No, he didn’t hear anything from him or the other guy who made it for that matters. Jesus, what a shit show… » he sat back in his seat and sighed loudly. « I’m sorry it didn’t work out. »

– Don’t worry about it, Manny. But I’m really looking for the boss, I need to talk to him. You’re sure you don’t know how to contact him ? »

– Not a clue, but listen, you should forget about it, go on with your life and wait for the next one. Alright ? »

Once you nodded, Manny left the booth. You sighed. Where could you find him now ? Go back to the docks, find the other guy, inspect the cabin ? The music at the lounge seemed louder than usual, perhaps it was your thoughts. Either way, you could not focus anymore, you needed some fresh air. You grabbed your purse, left a tip on the table, and left the Iceberg Lounge.

The cold air of the night was very soothing. You did not feel as overwhelmed as before. Maybe you needed to take a break, like Manny said. A couple of days to collect yourself did not sound too bad right now. What about the money ? 

You were so lost in your thoughts that you did not even notice that someone was following you, until you felt an arm grabbing you around the waist from behind, and pulled you in a dark alley. A gloved hand covered your eyes and pulled your head back. Your body was pressed against someone. Before you could say or do anything, a voice caressed your ears: « Don’t move. » 

You immediately recognized the voice, it was the clown from the other night. You felt the skin of his tortured face brushing against your cheek, the warmth of his body enveloping you seemed like a cocoon… or the claws of a wolf. He held you tightly. He obviously did not want you to turn back, or look at him. 

– How did you find me ? » you asked, as bravely as you could. The man chuckled, his laugh right next to your ear penetrated you. You felt something in your stomach, perhaps fear.

– A little birdy told me that _you_ were looking for me, darling » he cooed. His grip did not loosen one bit, you started to feel slightly uncomfortable. You put one hand on his arm wrapped around you. Not being able to see anything made your other senses more awake. You felt the blood beating in your veins, the leather of his gloves felt tight around your face, and you swore you could feel his lips grazing against your ear, as if he was caressing it. His arm felt strong around you. He could crush you, you thought. Your heart raced.

– The money… » you whispered.

– Not enough ? » he cut you.

– I agreed on 10 thousands. You gave me 50. Got the excess in my bag » you answered faintly. His fingers playfully drummed on your temples, and he chucked.

– Well, _let’s see_. Two guys got shot and caught, a guy ran away… The way I see it, you’re the only one who fulfilled her end of the contract… So it’s only fair that you get the remaining shares, wouldn’t you agree ? » His voice made your body shiver. You nodded.

– What’s your name ? » you asked, in the same faint voice. His only answer was a soft chuckle.

– I would like you to do something for me, can you do that ? » You nodded, what else were you supposed to say ? His embrace loosened up slightly. « I would like you to count out loud up to, let’s say, twenty. And you will not open your eyes before you finish. Can you do that for me, darling ? » he purred into your ear. His voice was hypnotizing. Each one of his words made your body tremble. His nickname for you did not seem to bother you as much, tonight. You licked your lips, and started counting. You sounded almost out of breath.

As you progressed, his grip loosened up. The hand on your eyes moved the long of your face, neck, shoulder. Then, he removed his arm around your waist. As one of his hands tucked a strand of hair behind your ear, the other one slipped on the side of your body. His face was still very close to your ear. You heard his mouth open and whisper in a loud, deep voice:

« Love the lips. »

You kept counting to twenty, as promised, closing your eyes the whole time. You could hear him leaving in the distance. Once you were finished, you turned around. There was no one else in that alley, but you.


	4. Unknown caller

This night was particularly trying, and you could not wait to wake up and pretend it all never happened. The cold and smooth leather touch of his gloves still felt fresh and tight on your face, his strong and threatening embrace around your waist was like a red hot iron marking your skin, the softness of his lips and scars brushing against the cartilage of your ear made you shiver for a moment. And the vibrations of his amused voice ordering you resonated in your stomach. 

A subtle mix of various emotions made you turn and toss in bed. From plain fear to excitement, you could not tell precisely what you were feeling, only that a small part of you hoped to meet him again, somehow, if only to get a better idea of this odd individual.

The rest of the night was pretty agitated. In the early hours of the morning, you woke up sore and as tired as the day prior. You reluctantly left your bed to pour yourself a glass of cold water, then dragged your body to the living room, fetched your coat that you nonchalantly threw on the couch last night. As you picked your phone out of the pocket of your coat, you felt something else, perhaps a piece of paper. You took out a card; it was a Joker. _Ah ! Of course he is._ He must have left it in your pocket without you even noticing, you figured.

With the tips of your fingers, you grazed the corners of the card, playing with it, examining it for a while, eventually feeling disconnected from reality. Gotham surely was a unique place to live in, full of eccentric and frankly bizarre individuals. You had your fair share of odd encounters, even felt some sort of attraction for the weird and unusual. However, a Joker, now that was something you have never heard of before. You chuckled at the thought of it. Perhaps it will not be the last time you will hear of him ?

The vibrating sound of your silenced phone on the table woke you up from your daydreaming. You shook your head to collect yourself, and looked at your phone. An unknown number, meaning either a prank, or a job. You decided to have a day off today, and declined the call. After all, with the money you earned, you could surely afford a little break.

Obviously, your dismissive response did not please the caller, and thus, merely a few seconds later you received another masked call. You declined, again, slightly upset. Then, a third call resonated in the room, now completely angering you this time. You let it ring for a few seconds, licked your lips, then answered the damn phone.

– _What do you want ?!_ » you practically screamed.

– Did I wake you, beautiful ? » You were now familiar with this voice. Unsure of your next move, you took a few seconds to answer.

– …Joker ? » You could not have pleased him more, as evidenced by the loud laugh on the other end of the line.

– Did I scare you the other night ? Did you have _trouble falling asleep_ ? » he asked, playfully. You wanted to tell him off, before remembering that there was another, bigger issue here.

– How did you get my number ? » Your tone was cold and sharp, but he did not feel threatened one bit. You heard him chuckle..

– _You know_ , I’m insulted that you don’t remember our last _date_ ! Maybe… you had your head _somewhere els_ e for a minute, darling ? » You felt your face burn with embarrassment. 

– I’m not your darling » you answered, with the same cold tone. 

– _Didn’t seem like you hated it so much last night_ » he answered in a deep, yet threatening voice. It was fast, short, menacing, as if something twitched in him. That man, you thought, is capable of anything. You bit your lips and you breathed heavily. Then, you heard him laughing, again.

– Come on, I’m just messing with you ! Look, I got a… a… how would you say that… an _opportunity_. Both for you, and me. Alright ? The alley facing the butcher on Main Street at 11 tonight. Got someplace to be now, see you ! » he hung up the phone before you could have said anything, leaving you in total disbelief for an instant.

Once that moment passed, you let out a growl of anger, and furiously threw the card on the table, kicking your shoes on the way back to your bedroom, and buried your face in a pillow to scream some more. Years in the business and never did you meet such an unpredictable, scary and entitled jerk. 

The worst thing was that you did not actually know the Joker, or what he was capable of. He already knew where you go at night (even though this was not the hardest thing to figure), he now had your phone number… The wiser choice was indeed to accept his offer, at least until you had a better grasp of the individual. 

This helpless situation angered you immensely, but you maintained your composure the best you could. For years, you worked hard to climb the ladder of success. People treated you with the respect you were due. This punk thought he had the upper hand, and this was unacceptable. 

You spent the rest of the day studying the map of Gotham, especially the place you were supposed to meet the Joker at. It was crucial to be in control of the situation, no matter what. If there was one small alley, one hideout possible, you had to know. At all times, you needed to be able to come up with another plan for your safety. Once you felt comfortable enough with your knowledge of the area, you prepared your material, including your usual outfit and a decently sized knife that you could easily hide, in case the situation worsened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, hello, hello !
> 
> This chapter is a little bit shorter than the others, but to make it up to you I will publish a second chapter probably tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, so stay tuned !


	5. Criminals Gotham deserve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally a little bit of fun for you and Joker :)
> 
> It took us a while to get there, but finally you can have a treat

Even at night, Gotham was never sleeping. There was still a persisting noise and animation to keep you company. You had to go away from the center to find peace –and most probably safety. Merely a few minutes ride by car separated the “good” part of Gotham from, well, the rest. And you were not in the good part of Gotham tonight, this was obvious.

You looked at your phone one last time, it was nearly 11:15 PM. Punctuality was a trait you cherished, and evidently one that the Joker was lacking. You crossed your arms, leaning against the wall of the alley you were supposed to meet. Frankly tired and exasperated, you contemplated the city, lost in your thoughts.

Gotham might not be a paradise on Earth, but you recognized it had its good spots. Closing your eyes, you could hear a group of friends singing after one too many drinks, the quick sound of a pair of high heels passing in front of you, or the light vibrating sound of the few last cars circulating over. If you paid close attention, you could also perceive a creature flying in the sky.

The sound of footsteps made you jump. Here he was, the Joker, wearing a dark purple suit, his face roughly painted, his wild curly green hair completing his appearance. Your eyebrows snapped into a frown; you did not hear him coming, like a cat coming out of the shadow. Bothered by the situation, you offered him a perfectly plain and emotionless face. 

– You’re late » you said. The Joker raised an eyebrow, and looked at you as if he was trying to solve an intricate puzzle.

– No red lips tonight ? » he asked, perplexed. You were not in the mood for this.

– What do you want, Joker ? » you sighed. He kept looking at your mouth for a moment, then ran his hand through his hair, licked his lips and offered you a bright smile.

– Have you ever stopped a car ? » he asked, visibly excited. 

– What do you–– »

– Our _little friend_ that got away, the other day… » he interrupted. « He left with something that belongs to me. How can we work if we can’t trust each other, right ? » he laughed, which destabilized you a little. 

Joker locked eyes with you, and you felt like you could not move; your whole body was frozen. You were lost in his big, shiny hazel eyes. They were not even angry, or aggressive, but rather captivating. You could feel your own anger calm down lightly in this moment. 

– … _don’t you agree ?_ » he whispered, in a deeper voice. You only now realized how close from your face he was, and how long you were staring into his eyes. You nodded, and looked away, embarrassed. The Joker then clapped his hands.

– We don’t have much time left, I suggest you… _take position_ » he said, gesturing at the alley. You had perfectly no idea what he meant by that, so you simply leaned against the wall, discreetly, while he did the same on the other side of the alley.

As he looked at the road, he opened his coat, revealing a decently sized gun by his side, which immediately made you feel unprepared for whatever he was planning on doing tonight. He did not look frightened at all however, quite the opposite actually. He seemed… excited. You stared at him, biting his lip, smiling, and you could have sworn you heard him whispering _Come on, come on, come on !_ He truly was an unusual guy. You smirked.

Moments later, you heard a car coming in the distance. The Joker’s fingers were drumming on his gun, he seemed like he was humming, or counting something. _Are we really gonna do that ?_ You thought. Before you had the time to call him, the Joker jumped out of the valley, stood up right in front of the road and started firing. It was so sudden, you felt destabilized. You heard a loud noise, tires screeching, and his laugh. It all happened in merely a minute, leaving you in shock. 

In the rush of the adrenaline, you took your knife out of your pocket and left the alley. In the middle of the road, the Joker was laughing, triumphantly. The car he was chasing apparently crashed into a street lamp. This was chaotic, surreal. The front of the car was shattered, there were heavy tire marks on the ground. Passersby quickly left the place in terror. Your heart was racing, you looked at the scene, stunned.

Two men were painfully leaving the car and ran away, avoiding the Joker’s almost playful shots. Once they disappeared in the night, he looked at you, and raised his eyebrows. He seemed proud, amused, excited. His joy was almost contagious, you could not help grinning uncomfortably.

– That was _something_ » you said, shaking your head. He looked at you with shiny eyes. « …Why did you need me ? » you asked. He licked his lips, ran a hand through his hair, then looked at you perplexed.

– Didn’t I tell you already ? »

You looked at him, waiting for an answer that would not come. Instead, he gestured to follow him, walking to the car.

– This city… it deserves a new class of criminals » he said, opening the broken back door.

– Someone like you ? » you playfully asked, looking at him looking for something inside of the car, removing the trash, occasional clothes and debris from the seats. When he found what he was looking for, he got out of the car, handling a sports bag. He looked at you, and smiled.

– Not _like_ me, darling » he cooed. For a minute, you felt amused by him. He put the bag on the trunk of the car, and opened it. Your eyes widened at the view of the money. He picked a stack of bills and handed it to you.

– I didn’t do– »

– Do you think these guys took you seriously the other day ? » he cut you.

– I don’t really care what they thought of me. » You were not entirely sure what you said was the truth, but you saw his eyes shining. He was still holding the stack of bills in front of you. After a brief moment, you took it. Your fingers grazed his gloves, you shivered at the contact of the leather, reminding you of your last encounter. You have met countless criminals before. None of them had a quarter of his flair, his prestance. A criminal Gotham deserved.

The Joker bit his lip, looking in the distance. You could not tell if he was thinking of anything. He fumbled in his pocket, and found a lighter. He then took one of the stacks, started burning it, and put it back in the bag. You looked at him confused at first, then back at the bag that was progressively getting on fire. As you looked at the money burning, darkening and turning into unidentifiable papers, you felt something inside your guts.

You noticed people walking in the distance, heard the faint music of the bars around; you remembered when you once were part of that city, that world. You once were one of them, but for years now you have been _the others_. You worked hard for people to respect you, and tonight you thought that you could even be feared and powerful, like the Joker was. Your heart raced, your breathing was fast and loud; you felt thrilled.

You threw your stack in the fire. You were out of breath, smiling widely. Then, you looked at the Joker, his eyes wider than ever, and he started to laugh hysterically. You walked away from the car, as the burning sports bag started to cause panic among the passersby. You had no idea where you were going, what was happening next. And you did not care. You went back to the alley, and chuckled. Your whole body was shaking. 

Shortly after, the Joker followed you. He ran his hand in his chaotic hair, and smiled at you. You walked towards him, stood up before him, and locked eyes. There was a moment of silence between you, a pause that was speaking volumes. An undeniable attraction.

He licked his lips, then you felt his grip against your head, grabbing you by the hair. It all went so naturally, like a wave surging towards the shore. And soon, he slightly bent, crashing his lips on yours. It was warm, his lipstick was slipping on your mouth. He was forceful, his other hand on your lower back pressed you closer, while you grabbed his coat. 

His mouth opened, forcing his tongue inside of you. You felt full, and dizzy, your heart skipped a beat. His tongue was softer than you imagined, you let him invade you. His scent, a mix of cologne and light sweat, enveloped you. The sensation of his warmth penetrating was intoxicating, and infinitely pleasurable. He was out of breath, it seemed like he was possessing you, while you felt like a fire was burning in your stomach. 

He grabbed your hair too hard, you felt a stinging pain, mixed with an intense pleasure. In return, you bit his lip, hard enough to cause pain, but not enough to actually make him bleed. He moaned deeply, then chuckled as he let go of your hair to run the long of your back, and grabbed your ass. This new touch made you shiver, it was so much.

In the distance, you barely heard the sirens of a police car, getting you out of your euphoric state. Slowly, you realized where you were, and how unsafe the situation was. You removed yourself slowly from his embrace, looking at him with feverous eyes. His mouth was still slightly open, his lips were shiny from your kiss, but not as red. He smiled widely, chuckled and raised his eyebrows.

« You look better » he almost whispered playfully. He then let go of you, and disappeared in the alley. You were out of breath, and could not even tell him anything before he left. Your whole body was shaking, you took a few steps back and leaned against the cold wall to collect yourself, looking at him walk away. You massaged your scalp, still hurting from his grip, and brushed your fingers on your lips, covered in red lipstick.


	6. It'll be fun

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello hello hello !
> 
> I am slowly finishing this story, so expect a new chapter every other day from now on !! :)
> 
> Thank you for your support, everyone.

A week passed since your last encounter with the Joker. For the most parts, your life went back to normal, except for a new energy flowing through you. That night, Joker showed you a whole new aspect of criminality; better still, you witnessed the dawn of the new face of Gotham. You felt it in your guts; things will never be the same ever again, and when change will come, you wanted to be in front of the line.

If you did not hear from him directly, you started to hear his name whispered in the streets, read about him in the newspaper, and even see his signature on the news channel. At the same time, you have been daydreaming about your own _brand_. You still had to decide whether or not you wanted to become a leader, and be known, or remain a strong hidden figure of the crime. For the time being, you welcomed the latter option.

Another name was being on everyone’s lips in Gotham for quite some time now. The first time you heard it, a few months ago, it was from Manny, and you thought he was making a tasteless joke. Unfortunately, Manny does not joke much, especially when it comes to potential threats to the business. He swore he saw him one night, jumping from a building, flying in the air, beating up his guys. Wearing all black, like a nightmare coming for all the criminals of Gotham. A creature of the night also: the Batman.

He was the main reason you preferred remaining somewhat discreet for now. While you never had the pleasure to meet the vigilante yet, you preferred being able to keep an eye on him from a respectable distance. And as much as you were tempted to wear a name with pride, like one of Gotham’s biggest rogues, you knew that it was only a matter of time before Batman will come for them personally. At least, until we found him a weakness, or a bigger predator.

– Can you imagine someone who could stop him ? » asked Manny. You were sitting at your usual booth, with a glass of your usual drink and your usual outfit, except for the lips; red and bold.

– Eventually someone will. This is Gotham, it’s dying » you answered.

– Yeah, yeah… Nothing good for the business, though » he deplored.

– Do you think he’s a cop ? Or a guy from the military ? »

– Who knows… Maybe someone who got tired of the police. Just a bunch of corrupted bastards, it’s like even they gave up on this city. »

His last sentence seemed to have perforated your heart. He kept talking, but you were not processing any of his words. You gave up on this city. However, you did not have the funds for an armor, the latest weapons or the physical training to be a vigilante either.

You knew a lot of the guys in the business. Some of them fought a system that gave up on them, everyone for a different reason, just like you did. Of course, many of them were in the business because it was the easy road to make good money. But you could not help wondering where the rest of them would be if society gave them the right tools, the right opportunities. Where was Batman when you needed it, a decade ago ? And where will he be in thirty years ?

You took a sip of your drink and closed your eyes. There was no point in looking back anymore. This is what you do today, not who you are. You are simply playing with the hand of cards you received.

– Hey, are you listening ? » Manny asked, a smile on his face.

– Yeah, sorry. I was somewhere else. »

– I could tell. Did you hear about this Joker guy ? » Your heart skipped a beat, for some reason.

– What about him ? » you asked, clearing your throat.

– He’s getting big, that’s for sure » Manny sat back in his seat, nodding. « Some of my guys are refusing to take certain jobs now, they fear him too much. » You chuckled.

– Is that so ? »

– Did you ever meet the guy ? » Manny asked, almost candidly. You licked your lips, played with your glass between your hands, looking at it not knowing what to say.

– Yeah… I did. Remember the fiasco at the bank ? He was the boss, I learnt. » It was not the entire story, but Manny did not need to know the details.

– Seriously ? Fuck, I hope he wasn’t too pissed about it. Heard he was not the gentle kind when things don’t go his way. » You could not help but chuckle. The rest of the conversation went as usual. A somewhat brief encounter, and it was already time to get back to work. You enjoyed these moments; they made you feel almost normal. Two almost normal people talking about work, or sometimes slices of life. He was perhaps the closest of a friend in your life, and it was saying a lot about you.

Tonight, you decided to go back home after your drink. Once at your apartment, you closed the door behind you, immediately started to undress and prepared a warm bath in which you added a few drops of essential oil of lavender. As you entered the tub, you enjoyed the caress of the water on your skin, and the delicate perfume of the lavender. You felt relaxed, embraced even, but for a brief moment only, as you heard the vibrations of your phone in the pocket of your pants, right besides the bathtub. You thought it would not be important enough, until you heard your phone ring another time.

You reached for your phone and sighed deeply when you saw the words « Unknown caller » on the screen. You let it ring for a few more seconds, before taking the call.

– Hello ? »

– Hello, beautiful. » You recognized his voice instantly. You sighed, and closed your eyes.

– What do you want ? » you asked, almost sharply. He chuckled.

– I was thinking of you. _Of your lips_ » Joker answered in a deep voice that made you shiver.

– They’re red tonight, you know ? » you cooed. He seemed to like the game you played, as you could hear him chuckle some more. « What do you really want ? » you repeated.

– I need you tonight. Well, for a job. »

– Can’t. I’m busy. Taking a bath tonight. Might go to bed early » you answered playfully.

– Love the program, but postpone it. I need you at 10 PM, at the abandoned building near the port. » You huffed and puffed in protest. « _We’ll have fun !_ I promise ! Alright, don’t make me wait, darling » he finally said before hanging up. 

Your whole body was shaking with anger. Who did he think you were ? His lackey ? Even if he was waiting for you with the whole circus and cotton candy, you refused to submit to him this time. He even found a way to ruin your relaxing moment. You stepped out of the bathtub, put on your bathrobe, and went to the living room to calm down.

You turned on the television, trying to distract yourself with a movie. You could not help but look at the time on your phone every other minute. While you had your pride, you knew now what he was capable of, and a part of you was afraid. Your mind was racing. _What is he gonna do if I didn’t come ?_ You asked yourself over and over again. _But if I give in to him, he’s gonna keep treating me with no respect._ You could not even focus on the movie anymore, you were far too furious, and afraid.

The time was running. It was now 9:45 PM, definitely too late to get to the port on time anyway. You breathed, then growled loudly before throwing the remote at the other side of the apartment. You stood up, put on clothes, checked your makeup one last time and left, slamming the door behind you.


	7. Bite me, fight me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally the first NSFW chapter of this story, hope you’ll like it ! I apologize in advance… (even though I hope you'll like it :o))

You arrived at the port at 10:45 PM, unapologetic and fuming. Once the abandoned building was spotted, you entered and scanned the place. It was a 5 story building with almost no remaining walls, broken windows, and an old staircase. The structure was still very apparent, with strong columns, big enough to fully hide behind. A perfect hideout or place for an ambush, you thought.

After a quick exploration of the building, you reached the last floor, with no sight of the Joker. You were terribly late after all, and wondered if he would be mad at you. Looking at the ocean through a broken window, your heart was still beating from anger, your head was screaming insults.

The warm breath of the Joker brushing against your neck broke you out of your thoughts and startled you. With the darkest eyes possible, you stared at him, furious and annoyed. He, on the other hand, wore a bright smile on his face, showing his excitement.

– What took you so long ? » he cooed. You grabbed his coat firmly, and despite your considerable size difference, you summoned all the strength and energy in you to yell at him.

– Listen to me Joker, never do this again. You never give me orders, alright ? » 

Almost immediately after you finished your sentence, he strongly grabbed your jaw and made you look at him. A yelp of surprise escaped from your mouth, and you immediately let go of his coat. Your eyebrows twisted slightly in fear, but you kept your mouth straight, trying the best that you can to not seem anything else but serious, merely acting composed. Of course, your erratic respiration and the intense heartbeat he could feel through your skin did not fool anyone. 

A thick veil of darkness covered his eyes, yet you were not exactly sure what he was feeling at this moment. His slow breath perhaps indicated an olympian calm, while his big black eyes could have killed you.

His grip was tight, it took you a lot of bravery to not shake. The leathery touch of his gloved fingers digging in your face reminded you of your last “intimate” encounter, yet the excitement was gone now, and the fear took place instead.

When he licked his lips, you remembered how he passionately kissed you merely a week ago, and how he could simply crush you tonight. Slowly and discreetly, you slipped a hand in your pocket, reaching for your knife, ready to use it if necessary. After a moment that seemed like an eternity, he simply said:

– You’re beautiful. » He punctuated his statement with a bright smile, before releasing you. Your legs bounced on the ground, trying not to lose your balance, while you felt immensely confused. You took a few seconds to collect yourself, while he walked away, facing the staircase.

– Why am I here ? » you asked, in a shaking voice. He looked at you, and gestured in the air.

– I have a meeting with Maroni’s friends. I want you to use this in case anyone seemed… heated » he answered, throwing a gun at you. 

You sighed: for what it was worth, this time it was a real job. You nodded affirmatively, and could hear multiple footsteps in the staircase. Immediately, you stood up firm, hid the gun in your pants, and crossed your arms, effectively taking position next to the Joker. He looked at you, smiled, then looked at the staircase as 3 men appeared, with a serious face. The tree men looked frightening and professional; but so were you, and you thought that the Joker’s reputation was equivalently if not more frightening.

– What do you want ? » asked the leader. Joker ran a hand in his hair, licked his lips and gestured.

– Heard Maroni’s business wasn’t doing great lately. » The men did not look pleased with that answer. « I know why. Do you ? » The leader raised his eyebrow and tilted his head.

– What do you want ? » he repeated. Joker chuckled.

– It’s very simple. I want to kill the Batman. » Your eyebrows snapped into a frown for a second but you relaxed your face and now remained perfectly calm and composed again, like the professional you were. You could not believe what he just said, and apparently neither did the leader, laughing in the face of the Joker.

– Kill the Batman… » he replied, mimicking the Joker. But he did not flinch.

– Precisely ! Think about it: you give me a hand, we can remove Batman from everyone’s equations, and we all carry on with our… activities. » Joker was a talker, for sure. His tone, his expressions, his body language were selling every sentence he said. But the men did not buy his story, or rather, they did not buy him.

– And how would that go exactly ? » 

– Oh no, not here, not now. I want you to talk to your boss. And we will discuss the details. Tonight, I want to warn you. » 

– Is that a threat ? » the man spewed. Joker rolled his eyes in some sort of disbelief.

– Me ? No, no ! I want to warn you about him: Gotham’s gonna change, if we don't act fast. Soon, you will all disappear… so think wisely. »

The rest of the exchange went relatively fine, you thought. The leader spewed a few insults here and there, refusing to work with « a clown ». The Maroni family was, after all, one of the biggest families of criminals in Gotham. Working with the Joker was not only insulting, but disgraceful at best. The Joker remained playful, yet serious at the same time. He sounded dangerous. You looked at him and the other men with attention, in case the deal was getting out of hands. In the end, the Maroni men left, saying they will talk to their boss about the proposition.

The Joker remained silent and immobile until he could not hear any more footsteps, then he turned to you, smiling brightly. His eyes were shining.

– You did amazing tonight, darling ! » he yelled cheerfully. On the other hand, you were still miffed and did not want to celebrate.

– I’m not your darling. I’m glad I helped. » The Joker pouted, and got closer to you. He licked his lips, and raised an eyebrow.

– Why so serious ? »

– I just wanted to have a day off tonight » you sighed. Before he could reply anything, you asked: « Do you really want to kill Batman ? » The Joker smiled, then held your face in his hands delicately, startling you, considering your earliest altercation.

– There will be changes in this city. I’ll make sure of it. » You looked at him, with a racing heart. You simply nodded, which made his smile shine even more. You had a hard time admitting it, but you found him weirdly charismatic, when he was not utterly unbearable. There was something about him that was magnetic, attracting you. « I knew you’d understand » he finally said, before getting his face closer to you and kissing you.

You hated how much you enjoyed it. You were still angry at him, still furious, yet you gave in and kissed him back. But it would not be without a fight, you thought, and so you grabbed his coat and pulled him closer to you, walking back until your back hit a column. He let himself be directed, chuckling between kisses, finding his way inside your mouth with his tongue. He seemed more impatient, more feverish than the last time. Right now, you knew you had him, you had the upper hand. He grabbed the back of your hair to kiss you deeper, he was devouring you, sucking on your tongue, licking your lips. And for the first time, you grabbed the back of his neck, caressing his hair. His skin was hot, and his hair softer than you would have thought. 

You dug your nails in his skin, he moaned and put his knee between your legs to spread them in response. You were surprised but enjoyed the pressure on your folds, already burning with desire. You slightly rubbed yourself against his knee, stimulating yourself through your clothes, but not enough to let him think you were surrendering, however your poor attempt at keeping the upper hand made him chuckle. 

He removed his knee and suddenly grabbed one of your legs, lifted it by the thigh, pulling your pelvis closer to him. Through his pants, you felt his throbbing erection. Now closer to your body, he thrusted and rubbed his erection against your cunt. Louder moans escaped your mouth, which pleased him as you heard him softly moan between two chuckles. One hand was holding your leg by the thigh while his other arm was supporting himself against the column. 

Louder, stronger and repeated moans filled the empty building, when you felt the need to lead again. So you bit his bottom lip, harder than last time; he was probably bleeding. The pain made his body tense for merely a second, then he moaned loudly, deeply, enjoying every bit of it. But this was not how he wanted to play, and he put his mouth against your ear and growled in a deep voice, almost panting:

« You got a little fight in you… »

He then let go of your thigh and held you strongly by the hips. Suddenly, he flipped you over with the same strength, pushing your body against the column. 

« …I like that. »

From behind, he unbuttoned your pants, then put his hands on the side of your hips and pulled back both your pants and underwear mid-thigh. Your ass was exposed, but you felt way too turned on to feel embarrassed, or even protest. Your folds were throbbing and dripping already. He forcefully pulled your hips against him, making you bend, you felt his hard clothed cock rubbing against your bare ass. He put his knee between your legs and spread them. You were absolutely out of breath, gasping at his touch. 

One hand was strongly grabbing your hip, while the other one let go of you. You heard him undo his pants and adjust himself, then you felt the tip of his cock at your entrance. You moaned louder than you would admit when you felt his warm cock penetrate you. You slightly arched your back more and stood up on tiptoes, allowing him to access you deeper. You heard him moan as he progressed, digging his fingers deeply inside your hips. 

You screamed when he finally filled you entirely. His cock felt huge and burning inside of your throbbing pussy. He stayed like this for a couple more seconds, adjusting himself properly, and sighed. He then started to thrust inside of you, forcefully, brutally, helped by your hips that he pulled back and forth. It hurt, it really hurt, yet it felt good, infinitely good. His moans and growls were met with your screams, creating a delicious music to the erratic rhythm of his hips thrusting inside of you. Your fingers were desperately grabbing the column, in an attempt to keep balance.

His thrusts were fast and dominant inside your sore and drenched cunt. It slipped wonderfully, yet you were so tight from the lack of preparation that a powerful mix of pain and pleasure filled your stomach, allowing him to penetrate you entirely over and over again. The empty building was filled with the noises of your moans, your ass smacking against his stomach, and the wetness of his cock penetrating you.

It did not take you long to feel the pleasure building up, despite the relatively comfortable position and the lingering pain; the situation and anticipation were much more pleasurable. This position was hitting all the right spots, and your screams were getting louder and louder. As you felt an orgasm coming, you begged.

– Joker, please…! » He then grabbed your hair and pulled your head back, making you yelp.

– Not yet » he whispered in your ear, still thrusting inside of you. He pulled your hair more to make you stand up completely. You arched your back to rest the back of your head against his shoulder. He wrapped one hand around your throat, grabbing it slightly. The pressure around your throat made you moan louder, as you gasped for air.

– Please, I’m so close ! » you begged. He gently kissed your head.

– I know… » he growled.

You heard him moan progressively louder, indicating his imminent orgasm. You finally came, as you felt him twitching in you, giving you a few more thrusts, digging his fingers in the skin of your hips, filling your spasmodic walls with his essence. He then stopped moving, his chin resting on your shoulder, panting. You turned your head slightly to take a look at him. His eyes were closed, his mouth was slightly open, he was panting. His makeup was partially removed, both from the sweat during the effort, and kissing you passionately. His hair was more chaotic than usual, but you now knew how soft they felt. Brushing against your skin, it felt like a caress. He looked beautiful, you thought.

For a few more seconds, he stayed in this position without moving. He then removed his head from your shoulder, you felt his grip loosening, until he let go of you, slowly taking his cock out of your sore pussy, and buttoned back his pants. You painfully reached for your own pants and pulled them up, then turned around and faced him. He looked at you and raised his eyebrows, smiling widely. You smiled back at him. You wanted to embrace him and kiss him again, but you restrained yourself. Instead, he gestured at you, and cleared his throat.

– Thanks, Joker. It was fun. »

– Good night, darling » he answered with a smile, before leaving the building. You watched him walk away for a moment, before leaving on your own.

You did not mind the nickname that night.


	8. This is who you are

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, hello, hello ! 
> 
> Another filthy chapter, I'm still sorry, but I wanted to explore something different for once !
> 
> Hope you will like it; if not, well, come back for the next chapter ? :o)

It was nearly one in the morning when you came back home and crashed on your bed, exhausted. Your whole body hurt; your hips, your neck, your groin, your thighs… Everywhere the Joker touched you was still burning, stinging, stabbing. He did not really pay much attention to your comfort, but it was just as fine with you. 

You convinced yourself that you had to release some tension; it could have been someone else but he was here. No big deal. You did not have the strength to undress and fell asleep merely a few minutes after you came back home. 

The next morning, or rather afternoon as you woke up almost at one, surely enough, your entire body ached and felt completely sore. Your legs could barely support you, and so you painfully dragged your body to the bathroom. The reflection on the mirror made you jump; you looked like a mess with your hair sticking to your face, a mix of white, black and red spread all over your lips, cheeks, neck. You could not help but chuckle.

Under the shower, you removed any proof of your intimate moment spent with the Joker. You did not dislike the morning after sore, like a not so delicate reminder of the good time you had. You wondered if he felt the same for a brief moment before brushing off that thought. There was nothing to think about, he frankly pissed you off and you had compensation for it.

You left your bathroom wearing your bathrobe and let your body fall heavily on the couch. You grabbed the remote and watched the television absentmindedly while reading your missed messages on your phone, until you heard a familiar name.

« …Gotham can thank the mysterious Batman… »

You looked at the screen for a minute. Why does the Joker want to kill him so badly he asked for the help of one of the biggest mobs in Gotham ? Sure, he was more than a stain for the business, but why face him directly, instead of securing your business, like the rest of them ? Now that you thought of it, you did not know a thing about what motivates the Joker. Was he in for the glory, or the money ? Perhaps something else entirely ?

You realized that you did not really know him, after all. But what he represented was very exciting. This was probably what he meant by « a new class of criminals », you thought. You were not sure that spreading chaos was your thing, but you could not deny how thrilling your encounters were. Perhaps for a little bit, just for some time, you could join him, and simply have fun.

Satisfied with your conclusion, you went back to reading your messages, when you got interrupted by a phone call, from an unknown caller. Your heart skipped a beat and you debated whether or not you should pick it up. You were surprised; you only saw the Joker last night, why would he call you so soon ? 

Either way, you were not in the mood to leave your apartment for at least a couple of days, so you decided to not answer, knowing the pressure you would feel if he asked you to meet him. He tried to call you two more times, until the room went silent again. Suddenly, you felt your phone vibrate: you received a message.

Your heart was racing when you saw a clear number on the screen, next to the message icon. You immediately opened it.

« How did you sleep ? » That was it. No name attached. You could not believe your eyes; the Joker gave you his number. Or probably the number of a burn phone, you figured, if this was even him. Nonetheless, you appreciated having some sort of control: he was not the only one capable of reaching out to you at his convenience anymore. 

You chuckled softly, convinced that he did not care about you, he was simply trying to get you to interact with him. You despised the fact that he probably thought he had his hand on you, especially since you begged him the way you did last night.

« What do you want ? » you finally messaged back. A minute later, your phone chirped again.

« Can we meet tonight ? » You noticed the improvement, asking first this time.

« No. I want to have a relaxing evening for once » After hitting “send”, you put your phone on the coffee table and did not hear from him again. The silence was _extremely_ satisfying to you. 

The rest of the day was pretty uneventful, and true to your words, you spent it relaxing, reading, watching the television… Unbothered by anyone. You realized how pleasing it was to simply be home.

Later during the evening, you decided to take a bath. A _relaxing_ bath, this time. You closed the bathroom door behind you, to keep the heat embrace the room. While you undressed, you took a look at your naked body in the mirror. You noticed some bruises on your hips, from yesterday. You smiled. It felt very bittersweet. You then entered the water and sighed, comfortably surrounded by the warm water. You almost did not hear your phone chirping. You sighed, exasperated, and took your phone.

« Then I’ll come » You could not believe your eyes. You read the message a dozen of times, to the point where the words did not even sound like words anymore. You growled in rage, and decided to not answer this time. He did not know your address, or even your name. You would pretend that you did not see his message and answer him tomorrow morning. Right now, you needed to relax.

You spent almost an hour in the water, rubbing your skin with a calming lotion, reading stories on your phone, almost dozing off. It felt incredibly good to take care of yourself for a while. The best part was your phone being silent for the entire time. Delicately, you got out of the tub, and wrapped a towel around your naked body, and left the bathroom.

Your heart almost stopped when you saw the Joker in the living room, playing cards on your coffee table. His coat was by his side, on the couch. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up, his gloves were laying on top of his coat. As if it was his home. He put one last card on the table, then looked at you, with a bright smile.

– Are you feeling better ? » he cooed. You felt the blood in your cheeks, you were absolutely furious. 

– How the hell– »

– You know, if you don’t want people to find you, you better be more _discreet_ about it » he interrupted you. You did not know if you were more terrorized, or furious. He knew where you lived now. And a door lock is easy to pick. 

– Why are you here ?! » you yelled.

– I’ve got exciting news ! » He stood up, looking at you with shiny eyes.

– I don’t care ! » You walked to your bedroom and closed the door behind you, unable to process what just happened. You threw the towel and quickly put a nightgown on you. You looked in your drawers for a knife, when the door opened. You jumped and looked at the Joker, your heart racing, your hand holding a knife. He ran a hand in his hair and chuckled. He sincerely seemed amused, biting his lip, smiling and chuckling.

You could not move or talk, as he approached you. After a few seconds, you threw the knife on the floor. In the past, you stabbed countless men, you were not afraid to fight back or receive punches. But the Joker… he was unpredictable, terrifying, yet you could not fight him. You did not really want to, you realized, shaking.

He held your jaw, more delicately than last night, but still firmly enough to make you look at him. It was the first time you felt his bare hands on you, and the warmth of his skin made your stomach burn.

– Come on, look at me » he said, in a deep voice. « That’s it, just like that. Do you want to hurt me ? » he asked, in an amused voice. You tried to nod negatively but his grip tightened, making you unable to move your head. He raised an eyebrow, waiting for an answer.

– I don’t » you murmured. 

– Mmh-hmm » the Joker hummed, nodding his head. His smile disappeared. He licked his lips slowly. The wiser choice would have been to remain silent, but you could not help but try to soothe him by explaining yourself.

– I was scared. That’s all. » The Joker loosened his grip slightly, and caressed your lips with his thumb, while humming again. 

– What am I gonna do with you ? » he sighed. Then, for a second, you saw a burning fire in his eyes. He smiled again. « I’ll make sure you’ll never fear me again. »

Your heart stopped. This last sentence sounded like a threat, and you started to panic. He grabbed your hair strongly, pulling your head back, then pushed you against the wall. Your scalp being still sensitive from last night, you yelped, almost with tears in your eyes. 

The Joker brushed his lips against the skin of your neck, before licking it. Your stomach felt instantly warm from his touch, but you were not really calming down. His natural scent, mixed with cologne and sweat, turned you on. The thick skin of his scars caressed your naked neck, while the rest of his body was so close to you you could feel its warmth on your epiderm. 

He then bit your neck deeply. The pain made you scream. He was biting, sucking for a few seconds, then releasing you to bite another spot of your throat, and sucking again. You tried to push him, but his free hand forcefully grabbed your wrist and pinned it on the wall. The pain was intense, almost unbearable, yet brief and repeated.

– It hurts ! » you finally yelped. He stopped biting your skin to look at you, raising an eyebrow, perplexed. 

– It has to, if you want to leave a mark, you know ? »

He repeated his torture on a few spots before releasing your head and wrist. He looked at your throat and nodded, perhaps satisfied with his work, until his eyes went to your nightgown. He forcefully grabbed your arm, dragged you through your bedroom and threw you on the bed. He roughly adjusted you, making you lay on your back, and kneeled on the bed between your legs. Grabbing your waist, he pulled you closer to him, lifting your legs on his thighs. 

To your surprise, he then started kissing, nibbling and sucking on your neck much more passionately, less brutally, still holding your waist in place. Your almost raw and sensitive skin was stimulated by his caresses, it almost felt like he was soothing the pain he caused. The line between the pain and pleasure started to blur, as the fire in your stomach finally spread, swallowing your whole body. You felt your cunt throbbing against his lap, and definitely felt how hard he was in this moment.

Gasping for air became slightly more difficult through your painful throat, and despite the pleasure you felt, your body was tense, seemingly ready to explode. Whenever you felt his teeth biting your skin, you moaned, arched your body. Hesitantly, you wrapped your arms around his shoulders, caressing his hair. 

As soon as the Joker realized how much you were starting to enjoy it, he removed himself from your neck and took a knife out of his pocket. You looked at the shiny blade with terror, unable to predict what would be his next move.

– Look at me » he ordered. « Stick your tongue out for me, darling. » You reluctantly did as he demanded. He took his knife and slowly rubbed the smooth blade on your tongue. You did not blink once, and kept looking at him in the eyes. « Very good, darling » he cooed, before removing the knife, and putting it on the collar of your nightgown, using his other hand to tense the fabric.

Almost surgically, he cut your nightgown from the collar to the bottom, and opened to fabric, exposing you completely naked. You tried to look away, when he once again held you by the jaw, and made you look at him instead. He then kissed you deeply, forcing his tongue in your mouth, sucking on your tongue, licking your lips. 

He removed himself from you and looked at you with dark eyes. You attempted to cover your bare breast with your arms, when he stopped you.

– _Don’t_ » he ordered in a deep voice. You removed your arms, and locked eyes with him. 

The Joker gently cupped your face in his hand. You closed your eyes, enjoying the warmth of his skin against yours. He caressed your face for a moment, then put his thumb on your chin, and delicately pressed it, making you open your mouth slightly. Slowly, he entered his index and middle fingers in your mouth, playing with your tongue. His eyes had something more ferocious now, he was probably as turned on as you were, if not more.

Almost naturally, you sucked on his fingers, which made him shiver. You closed your eyes and focused on his fingers around your tongue, his other hand digging inside your hips, your cunt rubbing against his hard clothed cock. You moved your hips, trying to stimulate your clitoris against him, when you heard him chuckle. He forcefully held you so you could not move.

– See ? Not so afraid now… » he cooed, almost mocking you. His hand left your hip to caress your throat, then progressed lower. He merely grazed your breasts, neglected your stomach. You moaned in anticipation, as his hand kept running on your body. When he caressed your pubic bone, you muffled a yell, which made him laugh loudly.

– What was that ? Couldn’t hear you » he said playfully, before removing his fingers from your mouth, now swollen and covered in saliva, while his other hand was still rubbing painfully slowly on your pubis, dangerously close to your clitoris. 

Your moans sounded like a delicious plea now, and the Joker could not get enough of them. You moved your hips, desperately trying to get some relief, but this would only cause him to stop moving, even retrieving his hand at times, not allowing you any more pleasure.

– Damn it, Joker ! » you gasped. He finally held your hips and adjusted you more so you were straddling him, while he put one arm next to your face, his mouth so close to your ear you felt the skin of his scars brushing you. His other hand grabbed and caressed your ass, and he hummed.

– Are you scared now ? » he whispered in your ear. His hand slipped in front of you, then progressed to caress your labia, swollen and throbbing, making you moan loudly. You put one hand on his, desperately pushing it, but he would not bulge. His fingers slipped wonderfully on your wet slit, barely caressing your folds, spreading them apart.

– Please, Joker, please ! » Once again, you found yourself begging for him, begging for more, but it visibly worked on him, as he pushed two fingers inside of you, effortlessly. You screamed at this touch you were craving for. You put your arms around his shoulders and grabbed his shirt as he moved his fingers faster, curling them inside of you.

– _This is who you are now_ » he whispered in a deeper voice. Your moans visibly turned him on, as he was panting, and slipped another finger inside of you, while his thumb rubbed your clitoris. You did not even pay attention to what he said, your body was shaking from pleasure, you moaned constantly, calling out his name. Your cunt, still sore and hurting from your last encounter, was deliciously contracting, swallowing his fingers, making you feel both pain and immense pleasure.

He pulled back so he could face you, and wrapped his hand around your throat, pressing it slightly. Now gasping for air, you felt your orgasm building up. Your body was shaking, you would cum any second time now.

– _You belong to me_ » he finally said, locking eyes with you. Seconds laters, your pussy spasmed, your body was electrified, and you screamed, releasing what was probably one of the most intense orgasms you have ever had.

He waited until your body calmed down to delicately remove his fingers from you, covered in your juices, and licked them. Your body was numb from exhaustion, you stared at the void, on the verge of passing out, and he sighed. He pulled the covers from underneath your body and tucked you.

You barely heard the door closing when you fell asleep.


	9. Departure

The sound of your vibrating phone on the nightstand woke you up early in the morning. With great pain, you dragged an hazardous arm across the bed, lazily looking for your phone, then looked at the blinding screen. When the name of Manny appeared, you immediately took the call.

– Hey Manny » you whispered in a croaky voice, before clearing your throat.

– Hey, I’m sorry I called you that early, can we meet somewhere ? I need to talk to you. » On the phone, he sounded anxious, preoccupied, nervous, all of these at the same time, something you have never heard of before, coming from him; it had to be serious. You painfully sat on your bed and stretched your arms.

– Of course Manny, where do you want to meet ? »

– Can you be at the Café next to the train station in a hour ? » The location surprised you somehow, but you agreed, before ending the call.

Now fully awake, you remembered falling asleep right after… Well, after you came. The evening seemed clearer now, as you remembered Joker’s last words, making you shiver. Belonging to him ? You were not sure what he implied by that, but he certainly showed a part of him you had never seen before.

But now was not the time to overthink your relationship with the Joker. You jumped on your feet and looked for a clean dress to wear, when your reflection in the mirror startled you. Your throat, still tender and sensitive, was covered in big, dark bruises the Joker left you. Your cold fingertips felt good on your stinging skin, and you swallowed thickly, feeling blood in your cheeks. You left your apartment wearing a silk scarf completing your outfit.

At the train station, you distinguished the silhouette of Manny, visibly nervous, shaking his leg, staring at his coffee mug. You noticed a big luggage next to him that he was grabbing. Slightly anxious, you sat in front of him and smiled at him kindly. He sighed in relief, and smiled back at you. A comfortable silence enveloped you both for a few seconds, until he finally broke it.

– I’m leaving Gotham. I won’t come back. » It hit you like a bomb, taking your breath away. It felt like the ground was splitting underneath you.

– What, why ? » you stuttered in disbelief. Manny nodded his head and looked at you.

– Did you hear what happened last night ? » Admittedly you did not, as you spent part of the evening with the Joker then fell asleep. You nodded negatively.

– The Joker crashed a party with his men, he wanted to get Harvey Dent, you know, the district attorney ? Anyway, it went wild, gunshots, he threw a woman through the window… » You froze on your seat, unable to articulate anything so you kept listening and nodding instead, while Manny nervously stirred his coffee. « Anyway… Half of Gotham belongs to him now, you know ? »

– I had no idea » you murmured so low that you were not sure he heard you. Merely a few weeks ago, he was almost anecdotic, and while you noticed him getting more important and present, you did not know the extent of his power. Manny looked at you and sighed.

– He’s killing people, until he’ll get Batman. He’s got Maroni’s men, even some of the cops work for him now. Listen, I can’t do this anymore, this city is burning. I got… I got a new passport, new ID, a new name… I’m leaving this rat hole in half an hour. » Your heart skipped a beat, it was unbelievable.

– Where… where are you going ? » you asked softly. He sighed and offered you a sad smile. You knew he could not tell you. Looking at your feet, the world felt minuscule right now.

– I wanted to tell you because… well, it was an honor to work with you. I mean it. I’ll miss you. » Each one of his words felt like a dagger in your heart, and by the end of his sentence your body felt numb.

– I’ll miss you too, thank you for everything. »

– You should leave too. I’ll give you the name of the guy who made my new documents » he concluded, handing you a card, before standing up and putting on his black bomber jacket. You left your seat and looked at him. Words were meaningless in this instant, you thought. Instead, you held each other for a while, tightly. When he let go of you, his eyes were shiny, red, filled with tears, probably similar to yours.

– My train is about to leave. Take care. »

The wheels of the heavy luggage echoed on the cobbles of the train station, as you watched him disappear in the horizon. Once his silhouette was too blurred to keep track of, you fell heavily on the chair and let a few tears roll on your cheeks. Manny was the closest to a friend in your life, and perhaps to a brother. You worked together from day one, when you were just a shy and lost girl. He gave you the best jobs, and protected you more than once. Right now, you felt abandoned, like the lost kid you used to be.

The ride back home was painfully silent and empty. When you came back home, you sobbed silently for a few minutes, holding your face in your hands, before noticing a piece of purple cloth on the couch. As you approached the living room, you saw the Joker’s coat, gloves and suspenders neatly folded. Without moving, you scanned the room and remained silent, closely listening for his presence.

Delicately, you removed your shoes and coat, then slowly opened the door of your bedroom. The blinds were closed, his clothes and shoes were on the floor, and you could barely notice his silhouette, hiding under the covers. You approached the bed and your eyes widened when you saw the Joker comfortably asleep on his side, essentially naked, with a clean face.

You crawled on the bed silently and closely looked at his face. Under his aggressive war paint, you could not tell how soft his features were. Immense almond shaped eyes, a small round nose, freckles like stars on his face that curly hair framed, and soft thin lips. Even the gnarled scars on his face did not look so threatening now. He looked young, handsome, and in this moment, his presence was comforting.

Making sure not to wake him up, you partially removed the blanket, and discovered his naked arms and back, decorated with deep healed scars, along with more recent bruises. As you caressed them with the tip of your fingers, you wondered what his story was, and if he would ever tell you. Then, you removed your dress and put position behind him, spooning him softly. To the world, he was terrifying, dangerous, a threat. But right now, he seemed harmless in your arms.

Evidently, you were not as discreet as you thought you would, as he groaned softly. You caressed his hair softly.

– It’s only me » you murmured in a shaky voice. He lifted an eyebrow and lazily opened his eyes, then faced you. In motion and awake, he was even more beautiful and frankly breathtaking. You lowered yourself to put a gentle kiss on his lips. « Rough night ? » you asked, candidly. He chuckled.

– _Great_ night. You should have been there. I even met _him_ » he answered, amused.

– What’s your plan now ? » He negatively nodded his head, closed his eyes and sighed.

– I don’t have any. I just _do_ things. »


	10. Queen of Gotham

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, hello, hello everyone !
> 
> Thank you for following me, commenting on this story, and supporting me. It meant a lot to me, after a year without writing !
> 
> This will be the last chapter of this story, but not the last time I will write, as I already have a couple of one-shots almost ready ! :)
> 
> I hope you will enjoy this last chapter, and stay around for my future works ♥️ 
> 
> Keep smiling :)

You closed the door behind you when he fell back asleep, still astounded by the tenderness of your short exchange. For a brief instant, everything seemed _normal_. And even if you knew it was not the case, your heart ached and wanted it to be true.

When he woke up later that day, he prepared himself, kissed you before putting on his war paint, and finally left, promising he will return shortly. You believed him.

For the next few days, the only news you had from him were from the television and newspapers, and the last remaining traces of him on your neck started to fade away. As the days progressed, so was his power and influence in Gotham. When going to the Iceberg Lounge, his name was on every lips, and you realized that most of the criminals of Gotham now worked for him, one way or another. More clowns were haunting the streets, so much that you started staying home more often. 

His murderous attempts turned more sophisticated, to the point where he chased an armored police car supposed to transport Harvey Dent, spreading an unprecedented chaos in Gotham. You never thought he would reign on Gotham this way, swallowing the whole city in terror. This was never how you viewed your own position as a criminal, and while you feared him and what he was capable of, egotistically you were somewhat relieved to be someone he cared of –or at least, someone he did not want to kill just yet.

When you heard that the police caught him a week later, you were somehow devastated, despite knowing the harm he has done and what he was capable of. But the pain did not last long, as he apparently escaped the police, causing terror once again amongst the people of Gotham.

That night, he barged into your home, panting, excited, surprising you. The minute you saw his face, you could not help but run at him and hold him close to you, tightly. He simply chuckled and wrapped his arms around you.

– Honey, I’m _home_ ! » he cooed. You missed his embrace, his scent, his voice. With each day, you were not sure to recognize him, and part of you could not comprehend the damage he was causing to Gotham. And right now, in his arms, he seemed like a different person; someone you wanted to be with, and never let go of.

Hastily, you reached to his lips and kissed him passionately, pushing him against the door. He grabbed your hair with one hand, while his other pulled you closer to him. Already, your body was burning with desire, and the insatiable need to fill the emptiness his absence left in you. You sucked on his tongue, devoured him, muffling moans. But this was not enough, you needed his scent, his essence, his warmth.

After you removed yourself, you kneeled in front of him, which made him chuckle. He played with your hair and let you get rid of his belt and unzip his pants.

– Missed me _that_ much ? » he asked, in an infinitely soft voice, a caring voice, you thought.

It did not take you long to take his already stiff cock out of his underwear. The long shaft felt warm in your hands, but you did not take the time to enjoy its view, as you immediately put the tip of his cock inside your mouth and twirled your tongue around it, swallowing his deliciously salty precum, making the Joker sigh and grab your hair delicately.

You took him deeper inside your mouth, until his cock reached the back of your throat, and sucked him vigorously. Your head bobbed up and down as he moaned softly. Then, in a familiarly deep voice, he demanded:

– _Look at me_ » These few words lit another kind of fire in your stomach. You opened your eyes and looked at him with feverous and hungry eyes, making him lick his lips and smile, satisfied. He removed his gloves with his teeth, let his coat fall behind him, and rolled up his sleeves. 

You felt his bare hands holding the back of your head steadily, then forced your head to take him deeper and faster. Helped with his hips, he fucked your face, which quickly turned into a mess, covered in saliva, as you tried your best to take him deeper, focusing on your gag reflex. His groans became louder and closer, indicating his orgasm coming, and after a few more thrusts, you tasted his essence shooting at the back of your throat, thick and warm, that you swallowed. The Joker was panting between two chuckles, while removing his cock from your mouth and putting it back in his pants.

– You know… you should miss me _more often_ » he said, followed by a loud laugh. 

– You should have called me more often » you replied jokingly, while standing up and kissing him. You led him to the living room, where he sat on the couch and let his body relax. 

Sitting next to him, you caressed his thigh.

– I heard you were in a lot of troubles lately » you commented. He looked at you with shining eyes and raised his eyebrows.

– I’m getting _so close_ » he replied.

– What’s your next move ? » His eyes widened and he smiled.

– Gotham… it’s almost _mine_. I’ll announce my reign tonight. People will want to evacuate. They’ll use the ferries. » The Joker explained the rest of his plan carefully, explaining how the ferries will be filled with explosives and give each boat an ultimatum, a chance to blow up the other one. Your heart stopped for a moment, unable to comprehend what he just said.

– Joker… this is madness ! »

– I know ! Isn’t it _great_ ?! And the Batman… he’ll come to stop me, you know ? This is _so exciting_ » he growled, his legs shaking. You held his face in your hands, looking at him with scared eyes.

– No, no ! This is not great ! Blowing up a whole ferry filled with civilians ?! To get his attention ?! Do you know what they’re gonna do to you if they catch you ? » you tried to reason with him. He put his hands on yours, and removed them, holding them gently between you two.

– When I’ll be the King of Gotham, do you know what _you_ will be ? »

You heard those words in your head. _Queen of Gotham. His Queen_. The conflicting emotions brought tears to your eyes, it sounded sweet to your ears, but at what cost ? Seeing you sad, the Joker lifted you and placed you on his lap, then put you close to his body, sighing. This was probably the most tender thing he did to you, caressing your hair, trying to calm you down.

– You don’t have to come with me, darling » he finally whispered in your ear. You put your arms around his shoulders and embraced him tightly.

– I don’t want you to leave » you murmured through your tears. He sighed, and licked his lips.

– I have to, I need to see _him_ , I need to show _him_. You understand, right ? » You wanted to yell at him that no, you did not understand, but it would be a lie. His obsession with Batman was clear to you for a while now, and there was nothing you could do to stop him. So instead, you sobbed, in his arms. You had no words left, it felt like everything has been said before. Except maybe for one thing.

– I love you, Joker. » He removed himself from your embrace and looked at you with the most human, and kindest eyes you have ever witnessed. You saw through his war paint, through the disguise, for a brief moment. He smiled, and planted a soft kiss on your lips. Delicately, he removed you from his lap, and left the couch. You could not see him, you only buried your face in your hands, sobbing. You heard him fetch his coat, you heard the door behind him, and you heard the silence. You broke down and cried.

*

On television, you followed the events of the night, sitting on the floor, your body shaking. First, the cars piled up, attempting to leave Gotham. Then, they wanted to leave with the ferries, as he planned. Glued at the screen of the television, you waited for one of them to blow, your heart racing, your breath taken away. And then, the Batman. The last image you saw of the Joker was him hanging down the building, laughing hysterically. Your heart ached, and more tears rolled on your cheeks, crashing on the floor; this was what he wanted all along.

That night, the time seemed to have stopped in your apartment. When they pronounced the words “Arkham Asylum”, your heart dropped to your stomach. You could not hear another sound from the television. The Joker was gone, maybe for good, or at least this was certainly the intent of Gotham –and Batman. You nodded your head, livid, feeling like the floor was breaking underneath you. You felt all alone, abandoned, _heartbroken_. Painfully, you lifted your numb body from the floor, and went to your bedroom.

You pushed the desk away, kneeled down and scratched the removable floorboard. Slowly, you retrieved the box containing all the dirty money you earned over the years, along with fake identity papers and a passport with a new name you recently acquired, and a new phone. You put them all in your bag, and filled a light luggage with only the essentials. You took a last look at your apartment, and left it forever. You decided to keep your old phone with you, in case one day the Joker would reach out to you.


End file.
